Stringer separator



July 27, 1937. E. c; BECHLY STRINGER SEPARATOR Filed Sept. 14, 1936 j In venior .2? dzd M A iiorneyi Patented July 27, 1937 UNITED STATES OFF E 4 Claims.

= as now results from the types of separators generally resorted to.

The perforating or forming of holes in the stringers is undesirable from the fact that perforations or holes tend to hasten the deterioration of the stringers due to dry or other rot.

The present invention, together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing:-

Figure 1 is a side elevational view illustrating the application of the invention with the outer-' most stringer shown in phantom.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view further illustrating the application of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the separators, and

Fig. 4. is a plan view of a blank-strip illustrating the manner in which the separators are formed from the blank-strip.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, it will be seen that the reference numeral 5 indicates one end of a sill supported end of a stringer, while the reference numeral 6 indicates one end of a second sill supported stringer, with the ends 5 and 6 disposed in lapping relation relative to one another. In this connection, it might be stated that in constructing wooden bridges, trestles or the like, a system of stringers is laid on and preferably mortised or otherwise secured to sills which in turn are supported by posts or pilings. Where the ends of the stringers rest on the sills, they usually lap one another to provide a good bearing surface. The stringers, in turn, as is well known, support the floor planks.

Further where the ends of the stringers overlap some type of separators are employed for maintaining the lapping ends of the stringers spaced a desired distance apart in order to provide for the circulation of air between the stringers to prevent rotting. At the present time, these separators, for the most part, consist of suitable metallic elements formed preferably of cast iron, placed between the lapping ends of the stringers and generally apertured to receive a bolt passing through the separator and the lapping ends of the stringers. Of course to accommodate the bolts or other fastening elements for securing the separators in place, the ends of the stringers are provided with openings or otherwise perforated and this perforation of the stringers tends to hasten the deterioration of the same because of dry or'other rot.

The stringers of the present invention are designed to overcome the objectional features of the present-day type of separators, and in the drawing, my improved separators are indicated generally by the reference numeral 1.

Preferably in fabricating the separators l, I make use of a single length of metal of any suitable tensile strip, the blank length of metal being indicated in the drawing by the reference numeral 8.

At spaced intervals determined by the desired length of the separators l, the blank strip 8 is cut diagonally as at 9, the portion of the blank between each lines of out 9 being used in forming or making the stringer separator'l. Thus it will be seen thatbyso utilizing a single blank and by cutting it in the manner just statedQa number of separators i may be quickly formed, the lines of cut 9 also insuring the provision of suitable points for the respective opposite ends of each stringer.

When the desired length of blank metal has been cut from the main body of the blank, said length of metal is then bent as shown in Fig. 3 in completing the separator which includes a main body or shank portion it! which adjacent one end is longitudinally twisted approximately 90 degrees as at II. Between said end and the twisted portion, the blank from which the stringer is formed is bent laterally at right angles to the shank l to provide the pointed end extension I2.

Between the other end and the twisted portion, the shank or body member I0 is bent laterally to provide an arm l3 the terminal of which forms the point It which latter is bent downwardly at right angles to the extension l3 and in parallelism with the upper end portion of the body member ID.

In the drawing, I have illustrated the manner of using two such separators 1. Thus it will be seen that one of the separators is associated with the end 5 of one of the stringers by forcing the prong M thereof downwardly into the top edge of the stringer so that the shank l0 extends along one side of the stringer at the inner side thereof with the prong [2 bearing against the side of the stringer and extending longitudinally of the stringer. The second separator is applied to the lower half of the stringer 5 at theinner side thereof by driving the prong 12 into the side of the stringer so that the shank 10 extends downwardly perpendicularly towards the lower edge of the stringer, while the arm ll3 extends longitudinally of the stringer in spaced parallelism with the lower edge of the stringer, and the prong [4 extends upwardly, all of which will be clear from a consideration of Fig. 1.

With the separators thus applied to the stringer end 5, it will be appreciated that the separators will serve to space the end 5 of one stringer from theend 6 of the next adjacent stringer.

It will also be appreciated that to apply the separators to the stringer, there will be no need of boring holes through the stringer to accommodate the separators, and consequently the anchoring prongs of the separator being merely embedded in the stringer no such perforating of the stringer would result as Wouldtend to hasten the deterioration of the stringer becauserof dry rot or the like.

It'will also be appreciated the relative position of theseparators and the lapping ends of the stringers, the end 6 of one stringer will 'serve to retain the separators in place. Also, the floor boards resting on the stringer end 5'will serve to hold the uppermost separator 1 in position against working upwardly relative to the associated stringer.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, utility. and advantages of an invention of this character willbe had without a more detailed description.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:-

1. A device for separating the sill supported lapping ends of a pair of stringers, comprising a separator formed from a single length of metal cut; shaped and dimensioned to provide a shank having pointed prongs at its respective opposite that by reason of ends and in predetermined angular relation to said shank, to selectively embed the prongs in one of the stringers, said shank being twisted intermediate its ends to position a portion thereof in edgewise contact with the opposed sides of the stringers.

2. A separator of the character and for the purpose specified, comprising a shank having at one end a lateral projection merging at its terminal into a right angularly disposed penetrating prong paralleling the shank, and said shank intermediate its ends being longitudinally twisted to position a portion thereof in edgewise contact with the opposed sides of the stringers, the opposite ends of the shank having an integral right angularly disposed sharpened penetrating prong, either of said prongs being adapted for embedding in one of the stringers.

3. A' stringer separator comprising a shank having an integral right angularly disposed lateral arm at one end, said arm having at its free end an integral anchoring prong extending downwardly therefrom and in parallelism to the shank, and said shank adjacent its opposite end being longitudinally twisted, and at said last-mentioned end having an integral anchoring prong extending laterally therefrom and in a direction at right angles to the direction from' which said arm extends from the shank; either of said prongs being adapted to be embedded into a stringer for anchoring the separator on the stringer. V

4. A stringer separator comprising a shank member having its respective opposite ends sharpened to form anchoring prongs disposed in angular relation to the shanks and adapted to be selectively used for anchoring the separator to a stringer in either of two positions relative to the stringer, said shank having a portion thereof arranged in edgewise contact with one side of the stringer.

ERNST C. BECI-ILY. 

